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RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as eflornithine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Androgens can stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. Drugs used in hormone therapy, such as bicalutamide, may fight prostate cancer by stopping the adrenal glands from producing androgens. Combining eflornithine with bicalutamide may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of neoadjuvant eflornithine and bicalutamide with that of eflornithine alone, bicalutamide alone, and no neoadjuvant therapy in treating patients who are undergoing brachytherapy or radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer.

A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase IIb Clinical Trial of 2-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) Versus Bicalutamide (CASODEX) Alone and in Combination in Patients With Prostate Cancer in the Period Prior to Radical Prostatectomy or Brachytherapy: Modulation of Tissue and Molecular Biomarkers in Human Prostate Tissue Serum

Patients receive oral eflornithine and oral bicalutamide once daily for 28 days in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo either prostatectomy or brachytherapy, as determined by the patient, on day 29.

Drug: bicalutamide
Drug: eflornithine

Experimental: Arm II

Patients receive oral eflornithine and oral bicalutamide placebo once daily for 28 days in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo either prostatectomy or brachytherapy, as determined by the patient, on day 29.

Drug: eflornithine
Drug: oral bicalutamide placebo

Experimental: Arm III

Patients receive oral eflornithine placebo and oral bicalutamide once daily for 28 days in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo either prostatectomy or brachytherapy, as determined by the patient, on day 29.

Drug: bicalutamide
Drug: oral eflornithine placebo

Experimental: Arm IV

Patients receive oral eflornithine placebo and oral bicalutamide placebo once daily for 28 days in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo either prostatectomy or brachytherapy, as determined by the patient, on day 29.

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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed prostate cancer

Localized disease

Paraffin blocks from diagnostic biopsies available

Planning to undergo brachytherapy or prostatectomy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

18 and over

Performance status

ECOG 0-3

Life expectancy

Not specified

Hematopoietic

Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL

WBC ≥ 3,500/mm^3

Platelet count ≥ 125,000/mm^3

Hepatic

Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL

SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2 times normal

No history of liver disease (e.g., hepatitis, cirrhosis, or jaundice)

Renal

Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

No symptomatic coronary artery disease

No uncontrolled hypertension

No acute myocardial infarction within the past year

Other

Fertile patients must use effective contraception

No more than 10 decibels baseline hearing loss at any frequency by full bilateral audiometry within the past month

No hypersensitivity to eflornithine or bicalutamide

No other prior or active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer or other cancer curatively treated at least 5 years ago with no evidence of recurrent or residual disease

No concurrent acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

More than 1 year since prior antiandrogen, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, bicalutamide, finasteride, or diethylstilbestrol

No other concurrent antiandrogen, LHRH agonist, finasteride, or diethylstilbestrol